Some of the individual pieces are lovely, but the whole lingerie/garters/no pants thing seems to be just a gimmick to make the whole thing more edgy/naughty and modern, when the pieces are really just classic new look re-done. Meh.

the new look revival is a season-after-season déjà vu, and it may be getting a total bore, but i think the way john is presenting it this time is much more interesting than last season. i LOVE the nude shorts with the garter belts - the look begins in the head with a fabulous hat, than a classic new look jacket, but no skirt, no ruffles, no richness from the waist down. even the shoes aren't OTT, and i like them very much. all this underwear thing that's going on in this collection - the black bra, the corsets, etc - is surely not a new concept, and he's done something in this "direction" before, but the jacket/no skirt looks à la vogue paris (like someone mentioned) won me over, at least to the STYLING... about the makeup and hair, well, same old lisa fonssagrives face but with an 80s twist (the hair)... kind of interesting too.
i need to see the entire collection to decide whether i like it or not though, especially considering it's a couture collection...

I can't help but feel that it's honestly kind of tragic that I and plenty of other posters are grasping onto the knickers and garters for dear life as if they're this exciting thing. That's literally the only jolt in this collection so far (and I have a feeling it'll remain the only jolt even after the full lineup is posted). It's sad that the excitement comes from what is essentially a styling trick. I mean, could we be more starved for something?

And seriously if I have to endure one more couture season of the pulled and shalaqued Dovima/Divine makeup I'm going to claw my own eyes out. Enough with the brows already, no biological woman wears them like that anymore!

I can't help but feel that it's honestly kind of tragic that I and plenty of other posters are grasping onto the knickers and garters for dear life as if they're this exciting thing. That's literally the only jolt in this collection so far (and I have a feeling it'll remain the only jolt even after the full lineup is posted). It's sad that the excitement comes from what is essentially a styling trick. I mean, could we be more starved for something?

And seriously if I have to endure one more couture season of the pulled and shalaqued Dovima/Divine makeup I'm going to claw my own eyes out. Enough with the brows already, no biological woman wears them like that anymore!

Is the recession biting so deeply that the models at Christian Dior cannot afford to get fully-dressed and have to take to the catwalk in their underwear?
Skirts worn with bras, jackets with girdles, or ooh-la-la, lacy French knickers, and ball gowns with longline corsets, were just some of the looks on show as the famous French fashion house literally unveiled its autumn/winter 09/10 haute couture collection, chez Dior, on the Avenue Montaigne, today.

However, this was hardly a question of cutting back (sales in London alone, according to Dior’s president and chief executive, Sidney Toledano, are showing a double-digit increase); it was more a question of stripping away in order to provide a unique glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes – and goes on underneath the exquisite designs – as some of the world’s most highly-paid models rush to get dressed for the show and make their entrance on the catwalk in some of the most expensive clothes on the planet.
The scenario, entitled “Fever in the Cabine”, was inspired by archive photographs from the 1950s of Mr. Christian Dior himself, presiding over the backstage mayhem.
Dior’s couturier in residence, John Galliano, however, took the concept to a more sensual extreme, providing a peekaboo parade of the gorgeous lingerie and underpinnings which create the famous Dior “hourglass” silhouette. The underwear and corsetry, in “midnight” lace and flesh-tone stretch, were in striking contrast to the powerful, electric and fluorescent colours of the designs.
The show opened with the legendary Dior “bar” jackets, in fuschia wool crepe, with jewel-encrusted sleeves, tightly-belted over flesh-tone lace knickers, or in violet wool bouclé, with a matching skirt, but accessorised with a visible, black mesh, suspender belt.
A lilac, wide-collared jacket was worn with seashell-pink lace “tap” pants and an orange satin “tulip” skirt with a vintage-style, 50s black bra. Lace knickers, suspenders and stockings were paired with a dramatic, black-and-white, zebra-print jacket; a leopard-print sheath dress was open at the bust to show an elaborate black lace bra; an embroidered, acid-yellow, wool-crepe coat, was folded-up, pannier-fashion, at each hip, to disclose saucy stocking-tops. Scalloped, lace petticoats flashed under the hem of an embroidered, nude-tone jersey dress and a fluorescent lime jacket came with a black, lace half-slip.
The underwear theme was carried through into the shoes, where straps were inspired by suspenders and bra-fastenings.
Not since Jean Paul Gaultier put Madonna into a rocket-cone bra, has a couturier been so enamoured of corsetry, nor designed such underwear that positively demands to be on show.
The head of Dior’s haute couture, Madame Catherine Riviere (eta: wait, who? should we blame her for the past years?), however, revealed that clients would be able to order the jackets with matching skirts, skirts with matching jackets or to request sheer petticoats be lined.

__________________Beauty is the climactic apotheosis of flowing elegance...

I live the collection, but Dior Couture is barely fresh anymore. The vast variety of colours refreshing but there seems to be refereneces from the Dior archives everywhere. Especially from Hauet Couture Fall 2008 and RTW Fall 2007.

However, this was hardly a question of cutting back (sales in London alone, according to Dior’s president and chief executive, Sidney Toledano, are showing a double-digit increase); it was more a question of stripping away in order to provide a unique glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes – and goes on underneath the exquisite designs – as some of the world’s most highly-paid models rush to get dressed for the show and make their entrance on the catwalk in some of the most expensive clothes on the planet.
The scenario, entitled “Fever in the Cabine”, was inspired by archive photographs from the 1950s of Mr. Christian Dior himself, presiding over the backstage mayhem.
Dior’s couturier in residence, John Galliano, however, took the concept to a more sensual extreme, providing a peekaboo parade of the gorgeous lingerie and underpinnings which create the famous Dior “hourglass” silhouette.

great!

Next time just send the seamstresses and dressmakers/atelier staff carrying rolls of fabric and trimmings down on the runway, if you want to show the 'unique glimpse of behind the scenes.'

God, these fashion journalists... the guy wanted to show flesh and create a buzz... that is about it. It is the cheapest tactic in the book, no matter how exquisite the materials were. No need to sugarcoat it, or make it look like anything else really. There is not anything that highly conceptual or cerebral here. It is just lace panties and straps, and pretty to look at.

i would have to ask a friend to confirm.
but the Head of Couture (Département Prestige) doesn't really have an impact on the collection. She only takes care of customers, the business, goes to dinner and lunch etc.
a stressfull job ...

Wow, I would be more than satisfied if this was ready-to-wear. With couture I expect experiments and excitement. That said, this collection looks just right for Dior now. What John did for the past three years, pretty dinner suits and cocktail dresses, have put Dior back to where it belonged. After all it's a house for ladies, definitely not girls next door.
With clothes like these it could steal much of Chanel and Valentino's clientele. And I think we'll be seeing this kind of collections (at least for resort and ready-to-wear) for many years ahead.